Awards

Kifissias Plaza: Business Center

2nd Place in the Category of Business Centers in the International Exhibition and Contest MIPIM in Cannes, 1994

The INTERAMERICAN PLAZA was designed, developed, constructed and privately financed by “ELIAS G. BARBALIAS SPECIAL BUILDINGS & REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT – CONSTRUCTIONS“. A building of compound uses covering an area of 22.000 square meters, designed in such a way, that it cares for the person working there, pleases the visitor, respects and enriches the environment, promotes the user without provoking. For the first time a business area is converted from a work area to a living area for 5.000 employees and visitors daily.

Halandri Studio 1: Housing Complex

The dominant idea of the scheme aims at the creation of a small neighbourhood consisting of “dwellings-cubes“. As any possibility of horizontal expansion is imperatively excluded the neighbourhood’s image is developed here in a vertical and “spatial“ manner. The “dwellings-cubes“ are dense, introvert spaces appearing as integral, discernible rectangular built masses their perception being enforced by the corners and edges of the outside wall. Their plans are conceived in relation to a strong gravitational centre which in the case of two-storied apartments coincides with the private circular stairwell. The way in which the dwellings are brought together is not merely a sculptural statement, but also contributes to the emergence of positive visual correlations between the dwellings themselves. Thus, in addition to its turn towards the “outside view“, the scheme assumes an “inside vision“ which somehow connects its parts immaterially and in a sense determines modes of public life and social behavior between the tenants. It is in these terms, finally, that a considerable variety of vital outdoor courtyards are created, apart from the conventional balconies.

Galatsi Center: Mixed - Use Building

This multi-storey building, situated in one of Athens’ working class neighbourhoods, was designed to house stores at ground level, a private tutoring school on the top floor, offices on the intermediate floors and two entertainment establishments, one on the basement and one on the penthouse. The architects’ aim has been to differentiate the building from the otherwise bland neighbourhood fabric through a daring use of colour and a sculptural organization of volumes. Functional considerations were not the only ones dictating building form. The coloured geometrical surfaces and volumes constituting the building facades emerged as a result of such considerations like the distance from which they are seen, the direction of the sunlight, and their position at the base, the body or the contour of the building.

Euro Partenariat '92

The company "Special Buildings Constructions-Elias G. Barbalias" was chosen after a selection to represent the Greek enterprises of EEC in meeting with her colleagues.